Acrylate fungicides represented by azoxystrobin and picoxystrobin are a sort of new fungicides discovered and developed by Zeneca company, and can be represented by formula (I). A compound represented by formula (I) can be obtained from a compound represented by formula (II) by removing a methanol molecule.

A compound represented by formula (III) is a type of acrylate compound, and can be obtained from a compound represented by formula (IV) by conversion.

WO9208703A1 disclosed a method for implementing the above-mentioned conversion process. The method comprises: utilizing potassium bisulfate as a catalyst in the reaction at 250° C. to obtain the compound represented by formula (III). With that conversion method, the conversion ratio and selectivity of the reaction are not high enough.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,916A disclosed a method for conversion from the compound represented by formula (IV) to the compound represented by formula (III) by utilizing an acidic catalyst at 70-110° C. temperature in the presence of acid anhydride, acyl chloride, or 2-acetoxy benzonitrile.
CN102070538A disclosed a method for preparing the compound represented by formula (III) through a reaction between the compound represented by formula (IV) and acid anhydride with dimethyl sulfate as catalyst.